Piper L-21-A accident near Selbyville, Delaware, August 8, 1984
On August 8, 1984 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Piper L-21-A, registered N10468, was destroyed in an accident near Selbyville, Delaware (Warrington airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1984 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Selbyville, Delaware · Warrington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper L-21-A · all L-21-As on the register
- Registration
- N10468 · no longer on the register · serial 18937
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE CONCLUSION OF TOWING BANNERS WITH NO PAX ON BOARD, THE ACFT WAS LANDED AND TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL. THE PLT THEN REENTERED THE ACFT AND AN ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE GOT IN THE REAR SEAT WITH THE INTENSION OF FLYING TO A NEARBY AIRPORT FOR A PLT EXCHANGE. DURING TAKEOFF THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO GRADUALLY CLIMB OFF THE TURF RWY TO AN ALT SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN A BUILDING OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE ACTIVE RWY. IT WAS THEN SEEN TO PULL UP AND COLLIDE WITH TELEPHONE CABLES OFF THE END OF THE RWY. PWR LINES LOCATED IMMEDIATELY IN BACK OF THE CABLES DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF DAMAGE. TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS ABOUT 90 DEGREES AND THE DENSITY ALT OF APRX 2100 FT. NO EVIDENCEOF ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION WAS UNCOVERED DURING THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,084 hours in all; 911 as pilot in command; 173 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,885 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 20, 1984; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Selbyville DE at 6:08 pm
- Destination: N80 Ocean City MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,099 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from SBY, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N10468 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.